Liquid bath apparatus



Sept). zo, 1932.

C. B. COOK LIQUID BATH APPARATUS mad June 1v. 1929 3 Sheets-Smet 1 Sept. 20, 1932. c. B. cooK 1,877,816

LIQUID BATH APPARATUS Filed June 1v. 192s 5 sheets-sheet 2 EPi- 5 VENTOR QB. COOK \B, n y

AT .5 EY.

Sept. zo, 1932. c. B. COOK 1,817,816

LIQUID BATH APPARATUS Filed Jux'xe 17. 1929 .'5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I N VEN TOR.

BY K

' ATTORN Patented Sept. 20, 1932 'CHARLES `fB. l 600K, 0F TJS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA YLIQUID BATH .APPARATUS This invention relates to liqidbath apparatus. y

The general object o'f the invention isto r provide an iniproved. means for treating *fruit L; and othenobjects with hiild compositions.

A more speciiic objectief the inventionl is t toprovide a novel.inethojolo1c preparing trnit for market wherein liqnidsnclnas water or Y borax solution isiorceldinto thepores ofthe fruit and wherein tthe Lliqiiid .is .prefeiably maintained at a predetermined temperature.

Another object. .offtheinvention is to provide a 4:novel ,means 4for .treating trnit .with

. 5 a` solution wherein. a, short f bath is provided L Whichlisof sniiicient depth. tocause theliqnid to exert considerable ffinid pressure-.on the` fruit as'it passes therethrough. .Another object of n iyinventioinisto providea novelmeans .for deliveringfruiteto'a 120 fruit bathing machine.

` `Av'tnrther. obj ectgotzmylinventionis fto. provide.` .a `novel, means .for. maintaining circulationin a fruitba-th: apparatus.

.An additional` object offmyiinvention is `to provide .novel arrangement .of conveyor partsA `forra bathapparatns.

. Aiurtherobject: o-Iny inventioniis tofp-rovidaa novel :support and. driveifor Athe .con-

3 veyor ot a 1bath apparatus whereby rthe.v com -30 veyorfcan berraised or-lowered without disengaging thefdriving chains.

ing descriptionwtaken in connection withfthe acconipanving `drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is A'cent1-'al longitudinal section through:my'improvedfliquid bath apparatus. fFig. Qdis `a top plan view o'tnnyfdevicerwith T some of` the parts removed.

Fig. f3 isa view di? thelo'afdingend 'of the` the `loading mechanism in positionto .deliverjfrnittothe,device.V

QF ig. 8 is an enlargedfragrnentary sideview of the conveyor mechanism showingone of the lutesindetailand t.

.Fig 9 is anenlarged fragmentarysection thronghlthe strainer ontflowpipe. Y

.Referring to the .drawings by ,reference charactersl havev indicated. iny mprovedliquid hath :apparatus :generally .at y:10. .As

shown the device 10. includes "a tank indicated` generally at 11, supported on a `fra1nel12 whichis nionnted'on a pluralityfoffyspaced sills 13. `-The tank. 11 .inclndesa portion .14 and a portion 15 with the bottoin wall ofthe `por.tion.15. disposedabove thefbottom wall' of theportionlll. The portion 14. includes side wallsland end walls 17 and18, Whichare arranged at an angle to the perpendicularfand areV rounded. adjacent thebottoin to .formthe bottom wall.

Y The .portion .15 inclndes side Walls .19,.an

end wallg20 and..abottom wallQl. Secured to the side walls of theportion 15 I `provide guideways 22H1 which areinovable'partition 23 vis adapted to be positioned. The'gnideways .22a-rearranged atan angletofcorrespend .to the `angleof the end Wall 18 of the tanlzlportion lll. and a stopineinbera isprovidedonthe guideways Q'Qto maintain :the

\ lower edgept the reinovableportionspaced- @ther obj ects sand the advanta gesf o'f this invention will--bel-apparent :Erolnnthe fcllowfrom the bottoni wall ,21'otthetanloportion 15. Y

. Thetank 11iis adapted-to be filled to Within aewincheso1 theitop with a liqnidisolution which is continuously maintained 'in circulation .ronoxthe` tank portion letothe tank portion 14 by ineans of a circulating system which `includes an outlet device 25 and a pump QG-Whichniay be driven. byany suitable ino vtive power. .The outlet deviceZ is connected to thefpunip by apipeandtheipnnip- 1s connected-to thetanh portion liby a pipe28. The-outlet device'25 -will 'be inorexfnlly de scribed hereinafter. v

interposed in the pipe QZbetweenthe outletdevice and thefpnmp l provide a shut-oii valve 29 and interposed inthe pipe 28 `between the pump and theftanlr portion 14.1-

provide a control valve 30 which is adapted when in one position to direct fluid from the pump to the tank portion 14 and in another `position to direct the fluid to a drain pipe 31.

For maintaining the fluid in the tank 11 at a predetermined temperature I provide in the tank portion 15 a heater indicated generally at 32. Any suitable type of heater may be employed but I have shown and preferably usea heater such as shown in my co-pending application Serial No. 120,066, iiled July 2, 1926.

Mounted within the tank portion 14 I arrange a fruit conveyor indicated generally at 35. As shown this conveyor comprises a pair of spaced endless chains 36 mounted on three sprockets 37, 38, and 39 which are in turn secured to shafts 40, 41, and 42 mounted in bearings 43, 44, and 45 secured yto frame indicated generally at 46. This frame 46 includes two pair of spaced side members 47 each of which are connected at the bottom by a member '48 to which the bearings 44 are secured andV at thetop by a member 49 to which the bearings 43 'and 45 are secured.' The members 47 and the sprocket chain 36 are arranged at an angle corresponding to the angle'y of the end walls of the tank portion 14l and the bearing 45 is arranged to support the shaft 42 above the shaft 40 fora purpose Which willv be'more fully describedhereinafter.: f i Y Y Secured to the side walls of the tank portion 14 I provide a channel member 50 YinVv which theiends of the shaft 41 are adapted to be positioned. Y

Positioned. over each of the channel members 50 I provide a channel member 51, each of which extends above the top of the tank and is secured to the upper portion ofv the i frame 12. rIhe top members 49 of the frame 46 are each provided with an aperture 52 in which the channel members 51 arepositioned.` 'j Thus the frame 46 is held in position at top by the channel members 51 and at the bottom by the ends of the shaft 41 being positioned in the channel members 50 and the weight of the frame and its associated parts is supported byY the top edges of the sides of the tank 11. The channel meinbers'l are a sliding t in the aperture 52 so that the 'fraine 46 and its associated parts may bev bodily raised out of the tank portion 11i-'to allow cleaning thereof and adjustments or repairs to the conveyor.

Secured tojthe sprocket chains 86 I provide a plurality of transversely extending spaced slats 54 to which are secured a plurality of cleats indicated generally at 55 and shown in detail in Fig.` 8. These cleats 55 each includea bottom wall 56 and tapered sidewalls 57 which are wider adjacentthe chains 36 and diminish towards the Aouter end vof the cleat. Each of the cleats 55 is securedvto the slats 54 by pins 58 and 59 in such a manner that the bottom walls 56 of the 'cleats main-V tain a position at right angles to the adjacent end walls 17 and 18 of the tank portion 17. To allow the cleats to travel around the arcs adjacent the sprockets Vthe fastening pins 58 of each cleat -are positioned in elongated apertures 60 in the side walls of the cleats,

To strengthen the free ends of the cleats I preferably bend the bottom wall 56 thereof ack upon itself in triangular formation as indicated at 61 (Fig. 8) and close the ends of theV triangular portion by means of plates 62 thereby preventing water from entering the triangular portion and being carried beyond the top of the tank.

For driving the conveyor I secure on the shaft 42 a sprocket wheel 63 which is driven by a chain 64 from a sprocket65 secured to a.

shaft 66 positioned in bearings 67 on the frame 12.

For driving the shaft 6 6 I secure thereto a gear 68 which meshes with a gear 69 secured to a shaft 70 which is mounted in bearing 71 on the frame 12. The shaft 7 0 is adapted to be driven by a sprocket or gear 7 3 secured thereto which in turn may be driven in any desired manner from a suitable source of power.l

The fruit to be treated in the device 10 isV preferably intermittently delivered Vto A the conveyor mechanism and to accomplish this I provide a loading mechanism indicated generally at and shown in detail in Figs. 6

and 7.

AAs shown the loading` mechanism 75 comprises a platform 7 6 having side Walls 77 thereon to which, adjacent the receiving end,

are secured pivots 7,8 which are mounted in4 free end upon a pair of spaced cams which y are secured to a. shaft 86 mounted in bearings 87 on the frame 12. The periphery of the cams 85 are-such that in one position the free end of the platfor'm76 is below the roller '81 rand the topedge of the tank wall 17, in

whichposition the fabric 80 forms an end wall wherein the fruit delivered to the loading mechanism is collected on the platform between the side walls 77 thereof and the fabric asclearly shown in Fig. 6.

. l/Vhen tlieicams 85 are in another position the free end of the platform 76 isl raised to a point slightly above the roller 81 and the top edge of the tank wall 17 in which position the fruit collected on the platform will roll into the tank portion 14 as clearly shown in Fig. 7.

ioo

nemers `by a `chain-89. vThe .chain 89 engages a vsprocket 90 secured to the shaft 40 ofithe conveyor mechanism and an idler sprocket 91 secured to a shaft 92 mounted in a bearing 93 secured tothemain frame 12.

Thus when .thelconveyor mechanism is operating the loadingamechanism actuates therewith. The loading platform and the conveyor sprocket :are so positioned in rela.- tion to each other that the fruit is discharged from .the platform 7 6 into the tankat a point where full advantage is taken of `the additional space Vbetweencleats occasioned `by the cleats passing through `.the arc formed by the sprocket 37. Thus allowing a greater quantity of fruitto be discharged intothe tank on a maximum speed of the conveyor than would be `possible if the fruit was deliveredinto the tanlcat a point wherein the cleats are at right angles to the end wall 17 A y By `positioning the shaft 42 higher than the shaft as previously stated the cleats `adjacent the end wall 18 of the tank portion 14 are retained iinaposition at right angles to the wall 18 until theypass above the top edge ofthe tank therebyproviding the `maximum amount of time for discharging the fruit from the cleats. The fruit maybe delivered to the loading platform by an endlessconveyor system as indicated at or in any other desired manner. Y

For removing the fruit from the tank portion 15 1 provide thereinan endless conveyor mechanism of any desired type indicated generally 4at 96. This conveyor mechanism includes a driveshaft 97 mounted in bearings 98 on the frame 12 and has secured thereto a sprocket 99 which is adapted to be driven from a sprocket 100 secured to the shaft 70 y through the medium` of a chain 102. The

conveyor mechanism 96'may discharge the jfruit onto another endless conveyor `or into a chute or any other device desired.

The outlet device in the tank portion 15 is of novel construction and comprises a casing positioned in an aperture 106 in the tank end wall 20 and secured to the end wall as Aby bolts 107 and includes an end member 108 secured thereto as by bolts 109. Positioned within the-Leasing 105 1 provide a member 110 which includes an enlarged iange 112 secured as by welding toa pipe portion 113 which extends through an aperture 114 in the end ofthe casing 105. The member 110 fur-` ther includes a boss 115 in which is secured one end ofa shaft 116 which extends through a packing gland 117 in the end member 108, and

is `bent at an angle 'toforin a handle portion 118. Interposed between the Aboss 115 and the end member 108 1 provide a heavy spring washer 119 whichis adapted to retain the `provide a screen 122 which is preferably made of wire mesh. The screen 122 is `of suchdiameter that the offset portion 120 of the pipe 113, will, when rotated by the shaft 116, travel in a path adjacent the side walls thereof. y Thus by reversing the pump 26 and rotating the shaft 116to turn the pipe 113 the water pressure emitting from the elongated aperture 121 will clean the accumulated refuse from the screen 122.

I For raising the conveyor mechanism 35 I provide a pair of drums 125 which are securec to shafts 126 mounted in bearings 127 on the frame12. Cables 128 areV secured as atl-29 to the top members 49 of the frames 46 and are `adapted to be wound upon the drums 125. For operating the drums 125 1 secure toeach of the shafts 126 a sprocket 129' which are adapted to be driven from Boi sprockets 130 through the medium of chains l ions secured to a transverse shaft 136 which is, mounted `in bearings 137 on the frame 12 and islprovided adjacent one end with a hand crank 138.

By :positioning the idler sprockets 91 and thesprockets 65 above the normal position of the sprockets 45 and 43, the conveyor mechanism may be raised without `removing the chains 64 and `89 from their respective sprockets.

.For treating :the `fruit with a vegetable or mineral oil to control blue mold I provide a tank 140 on the frame 12 which is connected by a `pipe .141to a header 142 positioned adjacent the top of the tank. The pipe 141 is provided with `a control valve 143 and the header 142 is provided with aplurality of iets 144 which communicate with the interior of the tank portion 14. A rlight gravity fluid. for instance a mineral such as distillate or a vegetable oil such as olive oil, or other suitable oil, is placed in the tank 140 and by the proper adjustment of the valve 143 the desired amount of treating fluid may be admitted to the tank.

To retainthe greater portion of the treating fluid in the section of the tank portion 1 adjacent the loading mechanism I pro-vide a i on is washed off and rises to the surface. The i use of oil may, of course, be omitted if de sired. f Having thus described my invention, I

claim:

1. In a device for treating fruit with fluid,

a tank an elevator arranO'ed in said tank said 7 b 9 eleva-tor including an endless member having lrcleats therein, said cleats including a body' having sides thereon, said cleats being ar-v ranged to move with the sides down at one end ofthe'tank and with the sides up at the other end of the tank, said cleats acting with 2`thewalls of said tank to provide pockets and means to deliver fruit to said pockets,"said cleats having their bodies inclined 'down-- wardly towards their free ends when in end of the tank.

` 2. In a device for treating fruit with iiuid,

aktank comprising a U-sliaped compartment,-

an elevator arranged in said compartment, said elevator having cleats thereon in conjunction with the walls of said compartment to provide pockets, said 'compartment having an openingthereto,- a loading device adjacent to said compartment, said loading device b eying movable and means for operating said loading device at predetermined intervals.

Y 3. In a device of the class described, a tank, said tank including an end wall, a conveyor in said tank, means to operate said conveyor,

` cleats on said conveyor, a loading platform, said platform being pivoted at the end re'- moved from said tank with the end thereof adjacent said tank being free, sideineinbers on said platform, a roller interposed between said tank wall and the free end of said platform, a fabric secured to the free end of fsaid platform, said fabric being positioned over said roller and extending downward, means associated with said fabric t-o maintain it taut, means to deposit articleson said platform, means to move said platform about its 5! pivot and means to operate said moving means. v

4. In a rdevice of the class described, a tank, said tank including an end wall, a conveyor in said tank, means to operate said conveyor,.cleats on said conveyor, a loading platform, said platform being pivoted at the end removed from said tank with the eiidthereof adjacent said tank being free, side membersV on said platform, means to deposit articles on t.' said platform, means to move said platform about its pivot and means to operate said moving.l means, said moving means being adapted to allow said platform to swing the Afree end down and said moving means being E@ 'adapted to swingl said platform upward to a each -raised position where articles contained on i said platform will vbe free to move into said tank, said conveyor and said platform moving Vmeans being synchronized to discharge articles from said platform into said tank at predetermined positions of said conveyor cleats. i

5. In a. Vdevice of the class described, a tank, said tank including an end wall, a conveyor in saidA tank, means to operate said conveyor,

cleats on said conveyor, a loading platform,

said' platform being pivoted at the end removed froin said tank with the end'thereof adjacent said tank being free, side members on said platform, a roller interposed between said tank wall and the free end of said platform, a fabric secured to the free end of said platform, said fabric beingpositioned over saidrollei and extending downward, means associated with said fabric to maintain it taut, means to deposit articles on said platform, means to move said platform about its pivot and means to operate said moving means, said moving means being adapted to allow said platform to swing yto a position wherein the free end of saidV platform, is below said roller and said fabric forms an end wallwliereby articles deposited on said platform will be retained thereon, and saidmoving meansbeing adapt-` ed to swing' said platform'upward toa raised position wherein said fabric ceases to form an end wall and articles contained on said plati form will be free to move into said tank, said conveyor and said platform moving means being synchronized to discharge articles from Y said platform into said tank at predeter-y mined positions of said conveyor cleats. Y

6. In a. device of the class described, a tank including end wallsarranged at an angle, a

conveyor mounted in said tank, said conveyor Y including a sprocketmounted at each end of said tank adjacent the top `of saidtankand a sprocket mounted adjacent the lower end of said tank, saidsprockets being arranged in triangular form on an endless chain supported in triangular form on said three sprockets, said sprockets being so arranged that said chain is positioned at an angle corresponding to the angle of the adjacent end wall of the deep tank section, a plurality of A* cleatson said chain, said cleats being so arranged to remain, at all times, at right angles to the adjacent end wall of said tank.

7. In devic'eof the class described, a tank includingrend walls arranged at an angle, a

conveyor inl said tank, said conveyor includi ing a pair of sprockets mounted at each end of said tank, a pair of sprockets mounted in spaced vertical relation to said first mentioned pairs of sprockets, endless chains supported in triangular form on said three pairs of sprockets, said sprockets being so arranged that said chain is positioned at an angle corresponding to the angle of the adjacent end the top wall of the tank section and a plurality of cleats connecting said chains.

8. In a device of the class described, a tank including end walls arranged atan angle, a conveyor' mounted in said tank, said con- Veyor including a sprocketmounted at each end of said tank adjacent the top of said tank and a sprocket mounted adjacent the lower end of said tank, said sprockets being arranged in triangular form, an endless sprocket chain supported in triangular form on said three sprockets, said sprockets being so arranged that said chain is positioned at an angle corresponding to the angle of the adjacent end wall of the deep tank section, a plurality of cleats on said chain, said cleats being arranged to remain, at all times, at right angles to the adjacent end wall of said tank, a loading device at one end oi said tank, the conveyor sprockets adjacent the loading device being so positioned that said cleats when traveling thereover do net reach their position at right angles to the adjacent end wall jintil they have entered said tank, said upper conveyor sprocket adjacent the other end oi said tank being positioned above said `last mentioned conveyor sprockets and being so arranged that said cleats maintain their position at right angles to the adjacent end wall until they have passed out of said t nk.

9. In a deviceol the class described, tank including two sections, one of said sections being of great-er depth than the other et said sections, a removable partition positioned adjacent the juncture of said two tank sections, the top of said partition being spaced from oit' said tank and the bottom of said Vpartition being arranged to allow fluid to pass therebeneath, said deep tank section including end walls arranged at an angle, a framework vertically movable in said deep tank section, a conveyor mounted on said framework, said conveyor including two sets of spaced sprockets mounted adjacent the top of said framework and one set of spaced sprockets mounted adjacent the lower end of said framework, a pair of spaced sprocket chains supported on said three sets oit" sprockets', said sprockets being so arranged that said chains are positioned'at an angle corresponding tothe angle of the adjacent end wall of the deep tank section, a plurality of slats connecting said chains, a plurality of cleats connected to said slats, said cleats being arranged to reirnain,` at all times, at right angles to the adjacent end wall of said deep tank section, a loading device positioned adjacent the end of said deep tank section re- `mote from said shallow tank section, said 'upper conveyor sprockets adjacent the loading device being so positioned that said cleats when traveling thereover do not reach their position at right angles to the adjacent end wall until they have entered said tank, saidupper conveyor sprockets adjacent theshallow tank section being positioned above said last mentioned conveyor sprockets and being so arranged that said cleats maintain their position at right angles to the adjacent end chains, a plurality of transversely extending i slats secured to said spaced chains, a plurality of cleats, said cleats each including a bottom wall, a pair of side walls extending beyond said bottom wall in thedirection of the travel of said cleats, the end of said bottom wall adjacent said slats being posi tioned between adjacent slats and means to hold said cleats in position.

ll. In a conveyor mechanism, a pair of spaced endless members, means to support said members, a plurality of transversely eX- tending slats secured to said pair of spaced members, a plurality of cleats, said cleats each including afbottom wall, a pair of side walls extending beyond said bottom wall, in the direction of the travel oi' said cleats, there being an elongated aperture in each of said side walls adjacent the edge thereof in advance of said bottom wall, a pin positioned in each of said elongated apertures and secured to one of said slats, a pin in each of said side walls adjacent said bottom wall, said last mentioned pins being in pivotal engagement with said side walls and secured to one of said slats.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiiiX my signature.

CHARLES B. COOK.

lll) 

